Local Blogs

By Chandrama Anderson

What’s Wrong with This?

Uploaded: May 17, 2017

"TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com’s annual Real Weddings Study revealed that the average amount spent on a wedding in 2012 was $28,427, with couples dropping more cash than they have in the past four years on all aspects of the event."*

Manhattan brides spend an average of nearly $3000 on a dress. Wedding flowers range from $200 to $20,000. Wedding photography and videography can cost $1000 to $10,000 and up, each. The reception can cost $45-$200 per person, so with 200 people, $9000-$40,000. Now add costs such as venue, DJ, music, alcohol, reception, honeymoon, etc.

Phew, that’s a lot of money—especially for one day.

But what’s missing from the budget of a wedding? Premarital counseling.

You want to be set up for a happy marriage for your entire lifetime. You want to have tools to use when things get rough, or a curveball is thrown your way (and they will be). You want to access the feelings of happiness from your wedding day, every day.

This is why I suggested to a bride-to-be last week that they add premarital counseling to their gift registry. She guffawed. “That’s brilliant!” she said. “It’s so obviously the most important thing.”

If you’ve just gotten married, or your wedding is really close, time-wise, do the counseling anyway. The opportunity is not lost.